DCS: Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight keeps drifting left

Ive been flying the huey a while and have switched over to the mi-8 for a bit, Im getting along great with it except it seems to have an annoying habit of drifting sideways to the left a lot and difficult to keep it in a straight line?

Any ideas what I need to do to fix this?

Hi.

It would be nice if you could provide a track. So that we could see what you're doing or not doing.

See you.

Is this happening in forward flight or hover? If in the hover, I'd expect what you're experiencing is "translating tentency" or "translation effect". Google either and you'll get web pages and youtube videos to explain better than I can.

Assuming no winds:

In order for the Mi-8 to stay in a stable hover your helicopter needs to be banked slightly to the right. This is completely normal for the DCS Mi-8. I have no idea about the real thing. Once you're moving forward faster that 100km or so ensure that you trim it to have the turn and slip indicators simultaneously centred. Once there it's normal for the Mi-8 to crab slightly to the left when flying. This crabbing behaviour is normal for all typical helicopters with tail rotors. If you don't like the crabbing consider flying the Black Shark.

I personally suggest enabling the "rudder trim" option in the settings as this mimics to some extent the force centring I believe is applied to the anti-torque pedals as well as the cyclic in the real thing. It also makes trimming the helo into stable flight MUCH easier and long flights far more comfortable.

Hope that helps a little

thanks for the tips, ill try those later

Some video's in my signature you may find useful :)

tried again tonight and this is what i get

I think you need to understand the trimming the aircraft first.

In video, according to your cyclic and rudder input, helicopter's behavior is correct. But why too much right-rudder (if you want to fly in a straight line)?

Edit: By the way,

1. Check some settings in Options > Special Tab > Mi-8MTV2; Disable Control Helper or Autopilot Adjustment and try again.
   
2. Enable only the center button on Autopilot (pedestal) panel. I think it is Bank/Pitch Hold. I mean if you have enabled Heading Channel, you might have fought against the autopilot.
   

The heading channel is off in this video, but constant right rudder is being applied indeed. I don't know how the "control helper" works, though.

The more puzzling thing is, why is slip indicator centered when the chopper is obviously crabbing like hell?

I believe you must have done an air start. That is how the controls look, which is a fairly new phenomenon AFAIK. As your forward speed increases you will see the rudder start to centre.

The helicopter keeps drifting to the left becuase its anti torque rotor is on the left side.

Thats how it is in real and how its simulated in DCS

Well, it's not because the tail rotor is on the left side. It would do this if the tail rotor was on the right side, too. But you're on the right track. The thrust from the tail rotor DOES pull the aircraft to the left, as it does for all helicopters with a clockwise main rotor rotation. And it's opposite for helicopters with a counter-clockwise main rotor rotation (i.e. the tail rotor pulls the aircraft to the right)..

Its called Translating Tendency.

https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/course_content_popup.aspx?preview=true&cID=104&sID=450

Itye1970, is the Heading stabilizer/Auto pilot on?

Are you pushing the right pedal down or is the aircraft doing this on its own?

Its called Translating Tendency.

 

https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/course_content_popup.aspx?preview=true&cID=104&sID=450

That's not what the thread is about. The OP asks about behaviour during forward flight, and not the hovering.

Alpha's explanation makes things more clear. I still don't understand though why the ball of slip indicator stays centered while the chopper is crabbing.

ok i found that when starting an instant mission on target practice the rudder seems to be on the right, i calibrated the joysticks but only in instant mission this happens. In free flight rudder is centered when no pedals are pressed as should be. I dont know if this is a bug but im certain after trying it a number of times the rudder is never centered on starting the mission always on the right and centering the rudder pedals doesnt center the rudder but it just stays to the right. All ok in CH calibration screen and free flight. They are ch rudders and CH fighterstick and throttle

try the trim reset cheat, it should fix the problem.

or twiddle the heading adjust knob to correct the pedals.

That's not what the thread is about. The OP asks about behaviour during forward flight, and not the hovering.

 

Alpha's explanation makes things more clear. I still don't understand though why the ball of slip indicator stays centered while the chopper is crabbing.

Translating tendency has effect in all modes of flight. And Alpha's explanation was the perfect definition of translating tendency, which was the point of my post.

The trim ball is centered because the aircraft IS crabbing and not slipping or skidding and is in coordinated flight. The aircraft is crabbing in to the relative wind. This allows you to have a level and balanced aircraft while maintaining your desired ground track. When flying smaller helicopters it was not uncommon for me to be crabbed 15° when at slower speeds and still keeping the trim ball in the centered.

I have also noticed in some conditions I to have had to but more than normal right cyclic in the MI8 to keep it level like described in the first post. It seems like the trim ball is centered when it shouldn't be like it has gotten stuck. I usually just put in extra right pedal, the trim ball wont move even when I do this but the aircraft levels and I can return the cyclic to the normal positions. I always thought that the trim ball was just a little buggy in the MI8. I have noticed this in the KA50 as well but not the Huey. Not sure if that helps.

"Inclinometer

Coordinated flight indication is obtained by using an inclinometer, which is recognized as the "ball in a tube." An inclinometer contains a ball sealed inside a curved glass tube, which also contains a liquid to act as a damping medium. The original form of the indicator is in effect a spirit level with the tube curved in the opposite direction and a bubble replacing the ball.[5] In some early aircraft the indicator was merely a pendulum with a dashpot for damping. The ball gives an indication of whether the aircraft is slipping, skidding or in balanced flight. The ball's movement is caused by the force of gravity and the aircraft's centripetal acceleration. When the ball is centered in the middle of the tube, the aircraft is said to be in coordinated flight. If the ball is on the inside (wing down side) of a turn, the aircraft is slipping. And finally, when the ball is on the outside (wing up side) of the turn, the aircraft is skidding.

A simple alternative to the balance indicator is a yaw string, which allows the pilot to simply view the string's movements as rudimentary indication of aircraft balance."

sorry, had so use Wikipeda so as not to confuse people with real world manuals and guides.

Nice explanation Six and Six:)

For the OP itye1970 here is a rough and ready video so you can see the control indicators and where stick, pedals and collective are at various stages of flight. The off-centre pedals on airstart are new, best option start on ground or do left Cntl + T to recentre your trim